Lighter



A. KILSTROM Apl 21, 1936.

LIGHTER Filed July 9, 1952 ATTORNEYS.

mm M Patented Apr. 2l, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LIGHTER Island Application July 9, 1932, Serial No. 621,633

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a pyrophoric lighter, and has for one of its objects to provide a simple, manually operated construction for ignition of the wick of the lighter.

Another object of the invention isthe provision of a supported and guided pawl for engaging a. ratchet and connected to an actuating member for rotating the pyrophoric wheel upon movement of the actuating member by manual pressure, the parts being so arranged as to avoid dead center or alignment of the pivotal connections of the swinging parts.

A furtherI object of the invention is the provision of a top wall construction which may be easily assembled and positioned on the tank without the use of expensive jigs.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a top wall construction and operating mechanism thereon which will alford a maximum liquid retaining compartment for the fuel.

With these and other objects in view, the inventionconsists of certain novel features of construction, as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing:-

Fig. 1 is a central sectional view through the lighter showing its operating parts.

Fig. 2 is a fragmental view of the lighter showing the operating mechanism on the top thereof in section and in open position.

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the inner member of the top wall construction.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of ber of the top wall construction,

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the two parts or members of the top wall assembled.

Fig. 'l is a section on line 1-1 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the pawl.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the link.

Fig. 10 is a view of the assembly of the pawl and link shown in Figs. 8 and 9.

In the construction of pyrophoric lighters it is desirable to provide a maximum storage compartment for fuel within the general volume occupied by a small pocket device which may be easily carried about by the user, and to provide a construction whereby the operating mechanism will not take the fuel space for its proper operation; and in order to accomplish this result I have provided a ratchet mechanism having ratchet teeth formed on the side of the pyrophoric friction wheel and have mounted the pawl for operating the wheel on the same axis as the wheel, which pawl has a lever arm extending the outer memtherefrom and is connected to the actuating member by means of a link so constructed as to fold with the pawl arm and occupy a minimum space when the actuating member is in closed inoperative position, and thus a construction which does not occupy any of the space of the fuel compartment. Also in order that the fuel compartment may be of maximum size. I have provided a linger piece for operating the actuating member which is positioned at all times above the top wall of the casing; and the following is a detailed description of the present embodiment of this invention illustrating the preferred means by which these advantageous results may be accomplished.

With reference to the drawing, I0 designates the tubular portion of the fuel casing provided with a bottom wall II having a filling opening I2 closed by a threaded plug I3 having a head I4 to t within the recess I5 in the bottom wall. Thereis also provided an opening I6 in this bottom wall through which the pyrophoric tube Il projects and which is closed by a threaded plug I8 having a head I9 tting within the recess 2D of this bottom wall.

The top wall-of the casing consists of two parts. The inner centering member 2| has a periphery of a size and shape to fit within the tube I0, and folded up from this member 2l there are webs 22 provided with pairs of openings 23 and 24 to provide bearings forl supporting the pivot shafts of the operating mechanism.

'I'he upper member 25 of the top wall consists of a plate suitably slotted as at 26 to receive the webs 22 and is of a size to extend over the top edge of the tubular casing I0 and project therebeyond to providea nishing iiange and a guide for lacquer or other coating material which may be applied to the casing. y

The top wall is provided with registering openings 2l and 28 respectively in the inner and outer members through which the pyrophoric tube I1 extends, the same being bent out of a straight line in order that the liquid absorbent packing in the fuel tank may be advantageously disposed about the wick when packed in through the filling opening. The top wall is also provided with registering openings 29 and 30 respectively in the inner and outer members thereof through which there extends the reduced portion of the boss 3l which receives and guides the wick 32 which is adjacent the pyrophoric tube. A spring 33 forces the pyrophoric material 34 outwardly against the friction wheel which is rotated as will now be described.

The friction wheel 35 is journaled upon shaft 36 mounted in the bearing openings 23 of the webs 22 and is provided with ratchet teeth 31 upon one face thereof. A washer 38 slit as at 39 to provide a pivot pawl 40 is also mounted upon the shaft 36 with the pawl engaging the ratchet teeth for turning the wheel upon rotation of the pawl about the shaft 36. The washer is of sufliciently resilient material so that the pawl will, when in a confined spacefsnap back over the teeth in one direction and be moved into engagement with the ratchet teeth when moved in the other direction, although to insure engagement I have provided a spring 4| encircling the shaft 36 to force the washer and its pawl laterally to engage the teeth 3l.

The actuating member 42 carries a snuer 49 to engage the boss 3| and seal the wick and is provided with ears 43 having openings to pivotally mount the member upon a shaft 44 extending through the bearing openings 24 of the webs 22 of the top wall. A link 45 is pivotally connected to the arm 46 of the pawl by means of a pin 41 and pivotally connected at its other end by means of a pin 48 to the actuating member 42. A finger piece 50 having arms 5| is pivoted on the shaft 36 and engages the end 52 of the actuating member so that upon manual pressure at this point the snuffer is lifted and the link 45 swings the pawl and ratchet wheel to friction against the pyrophoric member and ignite the wick. The end 52 of the snuffel' and the finger piece 50 are allowed their maximum downward movement by the cut-out of the outer member of the top wall as at 53 allowing the additional space of the thickness of the stock for such depression.

The link 45 is generally channel shape in crosssection and the arm 46 of the pawl or actuating.

member folds thereinto upon closing movement of the actuating member to occupy a minimum amount of space and prevent contact with the top wall of the casing. This link is also provided with a square end and projection 54 at its end to form a stop and prevent the link from swinging to such position relative to the pivot 41 and shaft 36 as to cause these points to be aligned or on dead center and thus prevent the movement of the pawl in the wrong direction upon closing of the parts.

A spring 55 encircling the shaft 44 engages the actuating member and the top wall of the casing to close the actuating member and lift the finger piece to a position for another operation after being opened.

There is also provided a sleeve 56 on the pivot pin 48 to maintain proper alignment of the link in its desired relation tothe arm 46 which is housed therein.

The foregoing description is directed solely towards the construction illustrated, but,I desire it to be understood that I reserve the privilege of resorting to all the mechanical changes to which the device is susceptible, the invention being defined and limited only by the terms of the appended claims.

I claim:-

1. In combination, a fuel casing, a wick, a tube extending through said casing and adjacent said wick, pyrophoric material within said tube, a shaft above the top wall of said casing, a friction wheel on said shaft and above said material, a snuffer member pivoted on an axis spaced from said shaft and on the opposite side of Asaid shaft from said wick to close over the wick, a channel shaped link member pivoted to said snufer, a. pawl mounted on said shaft, an arm extending from said pawl pivotally secured between the walls of said channel-shaped link, a finger piece pivoted on said shaft to move said snuffer member to a position limited by said fuel casing, said link being of a length to prevent the link from acquiring a dead center position with reference to said shaft and adapted to be moved downward to wholly extend between the wick and the friction wheel when the snuffer member is in closed position over the wick.

2. In a lighter construction, a fuel tank provided with parallel side walls, a top wall comprising a sheet stock centering member shaped to conform to the cross section of the inside of said tank adjacent the upper edge thereof and in contact therewith, upwardly bent projecting parts on said centering member, and an outer member slotted to receive said projecting parts and extending beyond said tank, said top wall and member contacting and lying in parallel planes.

3. In a lighter construction, a fuel tank provided with parallel side walls, a top wall comprising a sheet stock centering member shaped to conform to the cross section of the inside of said tank adjacent the upper edge thereof and in contact therewith, upwardly extending parallel spaced webs bent from the stock of said top wall, and an outer wall slotted to receiveysaid projecting webs and itself extending laterally beyond said tank.

4. In a lighter construction, a fuel tank provided with parallel side walls, a top wall comprising a centering member shaped to contact with the inside surface of said tank adjacent the upper edge thereof, upwardly bent projecting parts on said centering member, an outer member slotted to receive said projecting parts and extending beyond the side walls of said tank, said top wall and member contacting and lying in parallel planes.

AXEL KILSTROM. 

